Form clamp



June 6, 1939.' H. P. NEPTUNE FORM CLAMP Filed May 29, 1936 ATrog/vfkPatented June 6, 1939 UNITEDy STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates broadly to form clamps, and more particularly toa type of ldevice generally designated as a concrete form-clamp.

The invention has for an object theprovision 5 ofra form-clamp soconstructed and arranged that the clamp, when positioned, is capable ofv acting as a spreader, to the end that sheathing or sheeting isaccurately spaced, all adjustments being from the outside of saidsheathing.

y Another object is the provision of a form-clamp having few parts, iscapable of rapid adjustment, wherein the spacers arercut to lengthwhereby patching Ais unnecessary; yspreaders of the usual type whichnormally extend between sheathing eliminated, and in which screwadjustments are entirely done away with. lInthe practice of one form ofmy invention, I provide what may be termed a tie rod, although the saidrod `functions as a waler rod as well, and in which said tie rod is of alength sufficient to pass between and through two spaced-apart lsheathing members, between which sheathing members is interposedconcrete. The said tie rods in each instance are inwardly threaded fromboth ends, and I provide brackets adapted to be lsecured to the waleswhich are commonly pro- Vvided in conjunction with studding formaintaining the sheathing'in position, the said brackets being securedtothe wales in any approved manner and which brackets are so formed asto carry a turnable nut. Two nuts and two brackets are provided, and thescrew-threaded length of a tie rod is threaded between the said nuts.The nuts are of extended length and are adapted to re` ceive in endportions thereof further screw- A threaded adjusting members, whichlimit the screw-threaded engagement of the tie rod with the nuts. Inthis manner, having selected a given spacing for the sheathing, it ispossible in ad- 4 Vance of a given job to provide the stops or abutmentswithin the respective nuts, the different tie rods being of a selectedlength, to the end that a turning of a single nut will function toseparate the sheathing and maintain the spacing therebetie rod and, inaddition, a waler rod adapted to engage the tie rod, the remainingelements of the invention being the same as just stated. In the firstform of the invention stated, the tie rod may be removed from theconcrete. In the second form, the tie rod is left within the concrete. 5

A further object of the invention is the pro- Vision of a form-clampwhich is simple of con struction, inexpensive in cost of manufacture,may be utilized by unskilled labor and still produce accurate results inthe formed wall, of few l0 parts, and generally superior to form clampsnow known to the inventor.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction,associ- 15 ation, and inter-relation of parts, members and features, allas depicted in certain embodiments in the accompanying drawing,described generally and more particularly pointed out in the claim. 20

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective View, partly in vertical section,illustrating my improved form-clamp in the act of maintaining sheathingin position, with concrete poured be- 25l tween said sheathing,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of certain elements of the inventionon the line 3 3 of 30 Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a modified form ofthe invention, and,

Figure 5 is an elevation, certain parts being shown in fragment andlooking in the direction of the lines 5 5 of Figure 2.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing, and specifically toFigure 1, I have shown at l and 2 sheathing. This sheathing comprises aplurality of wooden members between which is adapted to be poured thesubstance which forms the wall and, in the present instance, the drawingillustrates concrete 3. For the purpose of maintaining the sheathing inposition, it is usual 45 to provide externally of the said sheathing,studding designated generally as 4, the studding being spaced verticallyrelative to the sheathing. Adapted to engage the studding are what areknown as wales, usually in pairs, as shown at 5 50 and 6. It isnecessary that the wales be tied in order that the wales properly engagethe studding and maintain the studding against the sheathing, as isself-evident. However, before the concrete 3 is poured, it is essentialthat some means 55 be provided for properly aligning the sheathing andmaintaining said sheathing in a dened relationship whether it beparallel or angularly related. In the present instance, I have assumedthat the sheathing I and 2 is maintained in parallel relationship duringa pouring of the concrete therebetween. To maintain the sheathing inparallel relationship, it is necessary to provide some form of clamp. Myinvention, in the embodiment shown in Figures l and 2, is designatedgenerally and as an entirety by the numeral 'L Thisclamp includes a tierod 8, threaded inwardly from both ends, as shown at 9 and iii, bracketsor face plates il, of which there are two, as shown at I2 and i3, eachbracket or face plate carrying a rotatable nut Id. Each nut i4 isprovided with an axially threaded bore, the threads rthan the bore il.

of which are adapted for engagement with the threaded portion of the tierod 3, whether it be y the portion 9 or lil, or both. A nut ill has twobody portions of diierent external diameter, as illustrated at i5 andi6, and a plate or bracket l l is formed with two axially aligned boresil and i8, the bore i8 being of greater internal diameter The portion l5of the nut is passed through the bore i'l of the plate or brack- Vet,after which an end portion of the nut is flanged so as to lie within thebore i5. This flanged portion will engage the shoulder interposedbetween the two bores of the nut, while the base of the portion oflargest diameter of the nut will engage the outer face oi the bracket orplate. This method of fastening the nut to the bracket or plate issimple, expedient and inexpensive. The said bracket or plate may also beformed with other through openings, as shown in Figure 1, at i9, 20 and2l.

One or the other of the plates or both of the said plates may beprovided with lock mechanism of the character depicted by way ofillustration in Figure 5, wherein said bracket or plate is provided withan outstanding headed stud 22, the said stud having its shank passedthrough an elongated slot 23 of lock 24. This lock includes a head 25formed with a nut surface-conforming slot 26 and an integrallyassociated shank 2l provided with the slot 23, previously mentioned.Thus, the shank may be moved relative to the stud to the end that thenut-engaging head may release said nut when the lock is moved in onedirection.

It is to be observed in Figure 2 that each nut it is adapted to receivea means for limiting the screw-threaded engagement of said nut with athreaded end of the tie rod. This means is shown at 28. The said meansmay comprise a screw received within the nut and against which one endof the tie rod abuts, thus stopping inward reception of the tie rodwithin the nut. This screw may be provided with a ker'i 29 whereby thescrew may be adjusted in a simple manner within said nut. Obviously,having decided upon the spacing between the sheathing and the length ofthe tie rod, the proper positioning of the screws 28 within theirrespective nuts ill is easy of ascertainment. The brackets or platesmust be secured to the wales; otherwise, the wales would not move when anut is turned. For securing the brackets or plates to the wales, adouble headed nail, such as shown in Figure 4 at 35i, may be resortedto, the nail being driven through one of the openings I9 or 2G for thispurpose. I may, as illustrated in Figure 2, provide a lag screw Si forsecuring the bracket to a Wale, or the means shown in Figure 3 may beresorted to, which means consists in providing a bolt 32, one end ofwhich is headed at 33, and a portion of the opposite end of the shank ofthe bolt threaded at 34, to receive a wing nut 35. The shank of the boltis adapted to be passed between two c1 the wales, as shown in Figure 3at 36. In order to hold the headed end of the bolt, I have provided abracket 3i which overlies said wales. The bracket 3l may comprise ametal piece having an up-struck portion 36, the shank of a bolt beingpassed between said up-struck portion and the face surface 39 of thebracket.

In Figure 4, I have shown a slight modification of my invention, whereinthe tie rod t5 may be left within the concrete shown at iii. Certainordinances require that the tie rods shall not be removed from theconcrete, but that the ends of the tie rods shall project inwardly atleast one inch from the surface of the formed concrete wall. Where suchrequirements must be complied with, I provide an elongatedconical-surfaced nut t2 formed with a threaded central bore its. Thisnut is provided at one end with angularly related peripheral faces it,whereby a suitable tool may engage said faces for the purpose of turningthe nut. The tie rod lill would have both ends thereof threaded, asshown for one end at et for reception within said nut d2. A iurtherscrew-threaded rod It, which may be termed either a tie rod or walerrod, has threaded engagement with the said nut d2 at one end, andlikewise threaded engagement with a nut i4 of the character depicted inFigure 2. In place of utilizing a short stud screw, such as shown at 28in Figure 2, I may utilize a cross piece il for limiting movement of therod it in one direction.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention just described areundoubtedly understood by those skilled in this particular art.I-Iowever, it is apparent that the present invention provides a simplemeans for either moving the sheathing inwardly or for separating thesheathing. Having selected a tie rod ci a given length, the exactseparation between the sheathing is accurately maintained by providingthe stops within the nuts. All that is required is a turning of one ofthe nuts upon a tie rod for this purpose.

The use of the invention depicted in Figure 4 renders removal of the rodtit, together with the nut iid, from the concrete, easy ofaccomplishment, the nut having a conical periphery.

I may provide other forms of lock for preventing turning of the nut thanthat shown by Figure 5. Any simple means may be provided for holding thenut.

I claim:

In combination with the sheathing and the wales oi a form board, a formboard clamp including a tie rod threaded at one end to be eX- tendedthrough said form board, a tace plate for engaging the wales of saidforni board, through which plate said tie rod is extended, a nutengaging the threaded end ci said tie rod, said face plate beingprovided withV an enlarged bore through which said tie rod extends andformed with an internal annular flange, the inner end of said nut beingreduced and extended through said flange and into said enlarged bore,and the inner kend of said nut being externally ilanged for engagementwith the inner side oi said internal flange in said plate.

HERMAN P. NEPTUNE.

